Duchess Olwen of Arenigs is a lifelong resident of Apfallon, raised within the careful rituals, expectations, and constraints of the court—as a servant. Her early marriage to the late Duke of Arenigs pulled her out of poverty and into bondage.
The late Duke of Arenigs was politically sound, personally bleak, and ten years her senior. He wooed Olwen with the promise of a duchess’s lifestyle, but when she became his, he made it clear that, in the privacy of their home, she was still just a servant. His cruelty was a matter of whispered court knowledge. For seventeen years, Olwen served him, pretending to be a grand duchess to everyone outside the manor while cooking, cleaning, and serving his carnal needs behind closed doors.
Shortly after the marriage, she fell pregnant and gave birth to Ordu, her pride and joy. Fortunately, the duke was never abusive toward Ordu. Olwen never let herself get pregnant again.
The duke perished shortly after returning from the Apfallon–Fomor War. He drowned in Fortunate Lake after overestimating his strength while still wounded from battle. Since his death, Olwen has ruled the duchy alone with calm competence, her stoic grief admired by many. She is widely respected for her restraint, intelligence, and unyielding sense of responsibility to her people.
PRONUNCIATION:
Olwen of Arenigs = OL’-when of AHR-ay-niggs
